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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

When you’ve travelled between worlds, there’s nowhere left
to go but home.

Rory has never been so cold in her life. But the biting wind
only reminds her of another pain that grows more intense with each passing day.
Each night Jaron’s beautiful voice sings in her dreams, and each day her
footsteps draw her closer to his side. Danger and intrigue at every turn, no
distance is too far when you’re returning for true love.

Rin has spent the last five years searching for Rory across
two worlds. Now a series of visions have him convinced he’s growing closer to
finding her. But when Rory slips through another portal, taking his visions
with her, he finds himself back at square one. To find her now he’ll need the
help of an old friend and a little otherworldly magic.This time he intends to bring The Wanderer
home for good.

Tonight she stands
on top of a snow- covered mountain with the wind in her hair. Her eyes
crinkle at the corners as she squints into the distance. She shifts her stance,
leaning, her body reaching forward and I can almost feel the racing of her
heart as the wind billows around her, lifting her cloak and whipping her hair
into her eyes. It reminds her of something she once felt, something
powerful. Blood pounds in my ears and
for a moment we are connected, The Wanderer and I. Her pain, her longing, they
choke me. She holds her breath as the wind grows stronger. It pushes against
her so that her footing slips. I want to shout to her, warn her that she might
fall, but I can almost hear her thoughts. She hopes it will carry her away. To
bring her back.

The wind whips around her, swirling ice and snow at
her feet and she begins to cry. Her tears freeze as they slide down her
cheeks. She doesn’t cry from fear or
pain. Not even the bitter, endless cold
could cause her tears. No, she cries
because it is only the wind.

***

I woke up,
panting, covered in sweat. Turning over,
I clenched my eyes shut in a desperate attempt to bring the images back into
focus.

“It’s no use,” I groaned. I knew it wouldn't work. It never did.
She was gone. That one little glimpse
was all I would get –for now.

The visions began the very day we returned home from
Rutahn, the world beyond the portal. I fell asleep on my aunt’s couch and
probably hadn’t even started snoring when her face filled my mind. She was
lying in the corner of a little hut, bundled in blankets and furs. I remember
how she shivered, like she was trying to shake off her own skin. Her cheeks
were flushed a bright red and she gasped for air, tossing in her makeshift
little bed. An arm with skin the color of caramel reached toward her and wiped
her face with a wet cloth. That’s when I realized she was sick. I woke up in a
panic, my heart racing. I had fallen asleep afraid she might be dead and now
instead of feeling relieved that she was alive, I was more afraid than ever. We
still didn’t know where Rory was, but now I knew she was very sick. I worried
incessantly about her after that. I dreamed of her nearly every night,
gathering bits and pieces of information, clues as to where she might be. After that, the dreams gradually increased in
frequency, and then grew more intense.
Now, instead of just seeing Rory, I could feel a little of her thoughts,
her emotions. Most of the time it was a
relief. I saw her safe. I watched her
grow strong again. I even saw her smile once or twice.

Then, there were nights like this one. Nights where I could sense her terror, her
despair, the aching loneliness or desperate longing for those she had lost. I
would lie there helpless, watching her cry deep, heart wrenching sobs and I
would wake up with my pillow wet, my face covered in sympathetic tears. Those
were the nights that weighed on me.
Visions like this one often forced me out of bed and back into my
research. It was impossible to sleep knowing she was out there somewhere in
pain and longing to find a way home. That’s why I keep searching. For five
endless years I’ve searched and I’ll keep searching until I find her and bring
the Wanderer home.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Cindy C Bennett was born
and raised in beautiful Salt Lake City, growing up in the shadows of the
majestic Rocky Mountains. She and her husband raised two daughters, two sons,
and a plethora of pets without wandering far from the fold. They’ve now added
two beautiful daughters-in-law to their family. In addition to writing YA
fiction, she volunteers her time working with teen girls between the ages of
12-18, all of whom she finds to be beautiful, fascinating creatures that
constantly inspire her stories. She developed a love of writing in high-school
English, when a teacher introduced her to the joys of escaping reality for ten
minutes each day in writing. When she’s not writing, reading or answering
emails (notice there is no mention of cleaning, cooking, or anything vaguely
domestic) she can often times be found riding her Harley through the beautiful
canyons near her home. Learn more at www.cindycbennett.com.

Jen’s teenage life of
rebelling and sneaking out is growing stale. In an effort to combat her
boredom, Jen makes a bet to turn Trevor, a nice geek, into a “bad boy.” Unexpectedly,
she is pulled into Trevor’s world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and
even--ugh!--bowling. Jen discovers that hanging out with Trevor isn't so bad
after all.

17-year-old Kate has
lived her whole life in abject poverty, with an alcoholic father and
drug-addicted mother, who severely abuses Kate. At school, her second-hand
clothing marks her as a target. Her refusal to stand up for herself makes her
the recipient of her classmates taunts and bullying. That is, until Henry
returns.

Henry Jamison moved away
six years earlier, just as he and Kate had begun to develop feelings for one
another. He returns to find the bright, funny, outgoing girl he had known now
timidly hiding in corners, barely speaking to anyone around her, suspicious of
even him.

Kate can't figure out
what game Henry is playing with her - for surely his attempts at friendship are
a game. What else would the gorgeous, popular boy from her past want with her?

Niahm (pronounced Neeve)
Parker is thoroughly content with her life in the small town of Goshen. When
Shane Coleman and his nephew Sam move into town, it's the biggest event to
happen in as long as anyone can remember.

Sam is drawn to Niahm against
his will. He'd prefer to not be bound to this angry, stubborn, unlikeable girl.
For Immortals, love is not only forbidden, but dangerous for her.

Niahm finds herself
attracted to the tall, copper-headed boy, who becomes her friend and then her
support when tragedy strikes. Soon, she begins to realize that there may be
more to Sam than she ever suspected... much more. But what he truly is, she
can't begin to imagine.

Rapunzel is not your
average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her
inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet
long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world
from certain destruction.

But then she meets a boy
named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk
everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance,
adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put
down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to
the classic fairytale.

Enchanted Fairytales is
a retelling of five different fairytales from the imagination of Cindy C
Bennett.

Beautiful Beast: Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to
accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at
the moon each sunset. Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in
order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate
her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her
kindness and humor.

Red and the Wolf: Three years ago, Rafe Wolfe left their tiny
mountain burg of Piera, leaving Ruby Hood behind to mend her shattered heart. Now,
Rafe has come home to compete with his brother Lowell for Ruby's heart. But
Rafe and Lowell have intimate knowledge of the wolf attacks that threaten their
home. Can Ruby live with the same knowledge, or will it forever destroy her?

Snow White: Left at the mercy of her stepmother Katarina,
Snow White is sent into the forest to be killed. Escaping, she stumbles upon an
enchanted village created by Katarina to entrap Prince Philip after he spurned
her. Philip believes Snow White is the one spoken of who can break the curse
that holds Fableton. Snow's only hope of winning freedom for herself and
Fableton is to defeat the evil and powerful Katarina.

The Unmasking of Cinderella: Amella Augustus has
lived under her stepmother's cruel reign since her father's death. Then she
runs into Char - literally. Just when Amella begins to believe she's found her
happily ever after, Iona pounces in threatening to take away Amella’s dreams of
happiness. Now Amella must take charge of her own destiny, and make a decision that
can either give her the peace she’s longed for . . . or return her to the
misery she’s lived in for so long.

The White Swan: Benno von Rothbart, a powereful sorcerer, is
jealous of Odette's love for Victor. Victor and Odette are unaware of Benno's
powers and manipulations to come between them and win Odette for himself. When
Benno uses his powers to transform Odette into a swan, she finds herself in a
fight for her freedom and for Victor in this retelling of the classic Swan Lake
fairytale.

In the Beginning: (Short Story from It’s a Love Thing)

Before coming to Earth
Alashon and Vindar vow to find one another. The vow is not made lightly: if
they fail, they will spend their eternity’s alone.

Drake has lived a hard
life. In and out of trouble with the law, sentenced to juvenile corrections and
finally released to the custody of his parole officer, the strange, surfer-dude
Tom, Drake is forced to move to the tiny beach town of Seaside. There, he meets
Megan, Tom’s off-limits daughter. Though he tries to avoid her, it seems she
turns up constantly in his life. It isn’t long before he finds himself looking
forward to visits from the ultra-optimistic Megan. But does she really care for
Drake, or is he just another charity case? And why does she seem so very familiar
to him?

Twenty-year-old Dahlia
hates the life that she is forced to lead. But the time is quickly coming when
she must make a decision that will shape the rest of her life. She's set her
sights on Jace. He is someone her family will approve of, someone that will
finally gain her acceptance among her people. Then Cam comes into her life,
making her question what she assumed was her inevitable destiny, giving her
hope that she might be able to lead the normal existence that she longs for.
But fate has its own plan for Dahlia. Now she has to find courage she didn’t
know she possessed to fight for her own future.

Sixteen-year-old
Stephanie Beasley has it all. She's a top student, head cheerleader, popular,
with a great boyfriend. But she also has it.

It stands in the corner
of her bedroom in the dark of night, watching, waiting. Always waiting. Until
it follows her out of her room for the first time ever, bringing her terror to
a new level.

Soon, Steph is losing
sleep, unable to function, stressed about when it will make its move. And when
it does, she'll be forced to do anything she must to protect those she loves.

Interview:

1) What is your all-time favorite book and why?

Flowers from the Storm
by Laura Kinsale, which is odd since it's completely outside of the genre I
write and generally read (YA). It's a historical romance so it's strange that
it's my all-time fave, but I love the language used in the writing and
descriptions, the flawed hero, the unusual heroine, the intensely romantic love
story.

2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular
fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why?

I don't compare myself
to anyone because I feel authors are unique with their own voice, and I don’t
think it’s fair to try to say my writing is as good as someone elses. My
characters are mostly teens or young adults, living in a contemporary world, so
I suppose they'd relate to other characters in the same situation.

3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your
books and explain it?

“You, Kate, I fell in
love with you! With your strength and courage, with your naiveté and innocence,
your unschooled sense of humor. With your loyalty and how willingly you gave
your love and trust.”

This quote is from Henry
to Kate in Heart on a Chain when he’s trying to convince her to take him back.
I like it because he’s taking about her qualities without mentioning anything
about her physical self. It’s important to me for my characters to fall in love
with someone not because of how they look but because of how they are.

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes
you want to keep writing?

Almost everything in the
world can be an inspiration if you just open your mind. Romantic stories,
lyrics, movies probably inspire me more than anything, but honestly, just the
world in general. My husband and I recently returned from a trip and I have
oodles of characters in my head bursting to be released simply from observing
others around me. Sometimes something as simple as a thunderstorm inspires me,
or the way the sun slants through a tree.

5) Describe your typical writing day or week.

I write best in the
middle of the night. I begin writing heavily around 10 pm and write usually
until around 4 or 5 am. I sleep until noon, then get up, get ready, and work on
marketing. Marketing is something I can fairly easily stop in the middle of to
take care of family, life, whatever. I hate stopping in the middle of writing,
so that's why nighttime writing works best for me - no one to interrupt me.

6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you're
writing?

Water always to drink,
because I don't want to have to get up if I'm thirsty. And usually I have
chocolate of some kind nearby.

7) Can you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly
provide an excerpt & cover)?

I'm nearly finished with
a book I'm writing with Jeffery Moore, a YA sci-fi, again outside my usual
genre. I don't have a cover yet, nor an official blurb, but it's about a
creature who wakes up on earth inside of a human teen with no memory of who she
is or where she came from. It's a novel of self-discovery, and finding the
person she’s meant to be with. I'm also writing a book (I'm about 1/2 way
through) that's a contemporary YA romance with a hero who feels no emotion, and
a heroine who has extremely unusual home circumstances (not abuse), making them
both a bit broken. (I may have the one book finished before 6/21 so if I do
I'll send the info at that time and change this answer)

RG: If I can discover my
address, then I'll tell you where to find the correct trellis. There might be
more.

Fab Fane Flannigan: You
genuinely don't know your address? Huh. Weird. Okay. Maybe I can find you by
your last name if it's not common.

RG: I know the name of
my house. Does that help? It's actually my own last name.

Fab Fane Flannigan: Your
house has a name? Can't be too many of those, so maybe that will help.
Especially if it's also your last name and your last name isn't Smith or Lee.

Rapunzel took a deep
breath, then plunged.

RG: My last name is
Gothel. I live at Gothel Manor. Do you know where it is?

The cursor flashed for
so long without response Rapunzel thought he'd signed off. It showed him as
still online, though. Maybe he was Googling the information. She smacked her
forehead. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that all this time? She probably
could have discovered her own address in that same manner and not had to let
him know that she didn't know where she lived. She moved her mouse to open a
new tab for that very purpose when his message came.

Fab Fane Flannigan:
Sorry. Just a bit stunned, here. Are you saying you live at GOTHEL MANSION???
The Gothel Mansion? I'm having a hard time believing that. You’ve been playing
me this whole time? Is that the reason for all the secrecy? I'm just kind of
feeling . . . disbelieving, I guess.

Rapunzel stared at his
words. Was her home well known? Why did he call it Gothel Mansion instead of
Gothel Manor? And why did he think she was kidding about living here?

RG: My mother calls it
Gothel Manor, so maybe that's different?

Fab Fane Flannigan: No,
Rapunzel, there's only one that I know of. It has to be the same. Are you
telling me the truth here?

RG: Yes, of course.

She made a decision.

RG: Okay, time for me to
stop being so "secretive" as you say. But I have good reasons for
being so. I have a disease

She stopped and deleted
the last four words.

RG: I can't go outside
because if I do I will get very sick. I live in a specific area of the house.
It's the southeast corner. I only know that because I have a compass. I don't
know my address because I've never had any reason to need to know it. I suppose
I could have Googled it, but honestly the thought never crossed my mind. Is it
weird that I live here?

There was no response
again for a few long minutes before he answered.

Fab Fane Flannigan: No,
not weird, just . . . never mind. So you live in the tower?

RG: Uh, the tower? I
don't know. Is it a tower?

Fab Fane Flannigan: Yes,
it is. I know where it is. I'll be there Friday at 8.

Friday, June 14, 2013

This week, the YA Author Club is exploring the eBook
pricing methodology. This is a very contentious and highly debated topic... one
that either drives a book and its author to success or prevents it from selling
anything more than the bare minimum.

Let's start off with FREE. Free is good. Right? As
a consumer and book lover I love to get a free book. Especially if the book is
one I want to read. As an author and bookseller, a free book is a good way to
market my story and gain reviews.

It's important to mention that offering a book for free exposes
your story to people who would not normally read it. These readers have a
nothing ventured-nothing gained mentality. While it can work out well in most
situations, there will be the random few readers who will read the book and
dislike it because it's not their preferred genre. Because of that, I'd recommend that all indie authors to proceed with caution.

Beyond free, there's as many options as you can imagine. $0.99,
$1.99, $2.99, $3.99, $4.99, etc. The most popular methodology I've seen from my
fellow authors and me are the one where the newest book of a genre/series is
priced at $0.99 while the follow-up books are price incrementally $2.99, $3.99,
and $4.99. It has been quite successful for my books and me;
therefore, it is one I plan to continue using... until further notice.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Darkness
is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their
inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient
prophecy that people have stopped believing in.

Then a star begins to fall.

Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of
light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under
the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.

Then a star begins to fall.

Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember.
Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the
feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free
himself from.

Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and
sending two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.

Available June 13, 2013

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has
spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and
Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her
husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband
and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion.
Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this
dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has
produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.

"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my
soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be
and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall
in love."

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Where
is Rory? Well, I happen to know Rory is not swimming around the
bottom of the ocean or being held prisoner in a deep sea cave with Daryl and
Allison from Enemies of the Cross (Warrior, #3). How
do I know this? Well, even if Daryl blew surfactant into Rory's lungs to
help her breathe, and he lead her aimlessly under the coral reefs, through
underwater forests, and over unending sand dunes, she'd never survive. She's
not a Warrior... she's not the granddaughter of the ruler of the Coral City....
she does not have the blood of the Underwater Realm's people flowing through
her veins.

Rory has no idea what’s going on in the woods behind her
house, but it’s driving her crazy. On the last day of her senior year she finds
herself caught up once again in the curious happenings of the forest and walks
away without any of the answers she was hoping to find. To make matters worse,
she is sent to visit a sick neighbor and instead finds the hottest guy she’s
ever seen. When she discovers his brother’s incredible secret she falls further
into her own chaos and into a fate she never could have imagined.

Jaron is just counting the days until the summer is over and
he can get back to his real life. Stuck with his little brother on a tiny farm
in rural Oklahoma is not exactly his idea of fun. But when Rory shows up on his
doorstep with an armload of pie, he knows his summer has just taken a sharp
turn into new territory. He never expected the adventure they would discover
next or the quest that would change their lives forever.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Liz Long is
lucky enough to have a dream career in magazine publishing as an editor and
writer, yet still have time to create adventures on the side. If you catch her
staring off into space or talking to herself, don’t worry – it’s just her
imagination at work.

Liz graduated from Longwood University with a BA in English,
though her professors might be disappointed to hear she reads more fantasy
fiction than literary novels. She also loves action and thriller genres. This
book probably won’t change your life, but she hopes it steals you away from reality
for a while.

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered
a dangerous Gift.

Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire.
She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers,
Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s
everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two,
and a place where she can be herself.

When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is
suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize
the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the
truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within
her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its
enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world.

How does a witch stay safe if a killer can get through her
protection spells?

Witches like Ruby and Courtney can take care of themselves.
So when Courtney is murdered, Ruby’s world crashes to a halt. The only thing
keeping her grounded is the return of Courtney’s brother, Cooper. He seeks
revenge, but Ruby wants to help other witches stay alive. To do that, she’ll
have to reunite with her old coven’s High Priest, who also happens to be her
cheating ex-boyfriend.

If that wasn’t awkward enough, when the killer gets too
close, Cooper temporarily moves into Ruby’s place while a police officer tails
her every move. Cooper’s presence distracts Ruby as they fight their desire
against their need to stay safe. Then Courtney begins to haunt Ruby’s dreams
and secrets are spilled, things from Cooper’s past that could get them both
killed. The killer continues to stalk Ruby and the more she discovers, the more
she fears she won’t be able to keep her heart in her chest.

Cooper and Ruby hopped on his
bike and drove back to her place. She even managed to peek out from beneath her
helmet to see the city whip past her in a blur. When they finally came to a
stop, she untangled herself from him – albeit a tad regretful about it – and
handed him back the helmet.

“Thanks again for everything
tonight. I know it wasn’t the most fun you could have, but I want everyone to
be safe,” she said.

“I understand. I’m glad I went,
too. I don’t want anyone else in danger. Plus, you’re good company.” He stood
up as he said it, hooking the helmets on his bike.

“You don’t have walk me in or
anything. I don’t want to keep you any longer than you need.”

He snorted. “You’re not keeping
me from anything. I want to do it, but especially because I want to make sure
you’re safe.”

Ruby bit her bottom lip. Her
nerves fluttered a bit at the thought of a possible goodnight kiss. She could
hardly believe how immature she sounded in her head.

It’s your best friend’s
brother. This is Cooper we’re talking about, a voice in her head screamed at
her.

Another voice spoke up. Yeah.
It’s Cooper. And your thoughts about him have never been exactly brotherly.

Shaking both voices away, she
swiped her key fob by the entrance door and Cooper held it open for her. They
took the stairs up to the second floor and walked around the corner to her
apartment. Ruby stopped as soon as she saw her door.

“Something’s wrong,” she said.

“What? How can you tell?” He
looked up and down the hallway.

“There was a barrier when I
left. Remember I checked, put my hand on the door when we left? My spell was in
place.”

“There was a soft glow on the
door,” he said absentmindedly, as though remembering. His eyes narrowed and
Ruby could see his veins throb in his neck as his jaw tightened.

“Only witches would be able to
see it, but it’s not there.” Ruby took a few steps forward, placing her hand on
the door, which was now simply cool and wooden. She retrieved her key and
turned the lock, but Cooper stopped her.

“I’ll go in first.”

He swung the door wide open; he
held his hands up in case of a fight or a spell, but silence greeted them.
Cooper did a quick sweep of the apartment while Ruby waited in the entryway. He
returned with Aziza in one arm and a letter in his hand.

“This was on your coffee
table,” he said grimly. “Aziza was hiding behind the couch. She hissed until
she realized it was me.”

Ruby took the note from him. As
she opened it, Cooper stood beside her to read over her shoulder.

“Not all witches are equal.
Some are born with extraordinary gifts; anyone can practice, but few are truly
powerful. You are one of the lucky ones, Ruby. I apologize about your friend
Courtney. She was powerful, but nowhere near your capabilities. I’m afraid that
in order for my powers to thrive, yours must come to an end. I’ll be seeing you
very soon. –X”

Q&A:

1) What
is your all-time favorite book and why?

I think that would have to be Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix. To me, it's the first book in that series that really shows
emotional angst for Harry between being a teenager, dating your first crush,
and of course, being hunted by Lord Voldemort. We get to see our characters
developing into real wizards with the DA (like Neville growing into being a
badass), plus the introduction of accepting those deemed a little strange, like
Luna Lovegood. We feel our first real loss with a major character as well as
the real danger now that dark wizards are out in the open by the end. It's a
full scale of emotions and really sort of sets the rest of the stage for the
series, IMO.

2) Is
there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your
book's characters could relate to and why?

Oh gosh, it's probably still a little early in the game for
me to presume I can be compared to another author. BookBub compared my Donovan
Circus book to the Hunger Games, with a female character destined to discover
who she is and stand up for her world. I'm sure my circus folks could hang with
any X-Men character, while my characters from WITCH HEARTS would get along well
with the Halliwell sisters from Charmed or Sookie Stackhouse and her friends.

3) Can
you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

One of my favorite lines is one Lucy says in the first
chapter when explaining why she’s rejoining the Donovan Circus:

“I wanted to be normal amongst the freaks.”

Family and a sense of belonging are heavy themes in my first
book and this line sums Lucy up perfectly. Lucy has never been “normal”
anywhere in the human world. She thinks – hopes, really – that she can find her
place in the gifted world in the circus she used to know. She’s been a loner
her whole life because of her gift and now that there’s an opportunity to be a
part of something, she’s happy to include herself in the strange gaggle that is
the Donovan gang.

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes
you want to keep writing?

I listen to a lot of soundtracks, especially movie scores,
like Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, and anything else that contains some action
type of music. Honestly, nothing has been more motivating for me lately than to
hear a reader I've never met before tell me how much they loved my work and
can't wait for another book to read. It's such an amazing feeling to affect
someone's book list and I'm honored to be a part of it. It's a total kick in
the butt to know people are eagerly anticipating another title and makes me
want to write that much faster.

5)
Describe your typical writing day or week.

I work full time, so I write when I can in my spare time.
Often my husband will go to the gym for a couple hours after work, so I take
advantage and try to crank out a few hundred words. I also give him lots of
time to play video games or watch NBA so I can sit on the couch with him and
write. And of course, the weekends contain my biggest chunks of writing time,
so there's nothing I like better than a rainy Sunday with coffee and my laptop.

6) Is
there a food or drink do you have to have when you're writing?

I love Skittles to snack on during the process, though my
teeth beg me to stop. I'm also never opposed to a fresh new 20 oz. Diet Coke
within reach, but that's only once a week at most. The rest of the time it's
H2O!

7) Can
you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt
& cover)?

I am currently working on the second book in the Donovan
Circus series. Next up is an NA fantasy novel with a unique twist on Reapers.

Q: Have you broken up with a series? If so, which one and why?

A: Yes. I've invested lots of hours in Sookie Stackhouse, but I can't make myself read the last book. I don't need to read it to know she didn't pick Eric, and for me, that is unforgivable. Instead, I live in my own world... one where they are still together, and he adores the ground she walks upon.

Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.

Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.

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Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”

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About Me

She lives in Texas with her husband, their nineteen-year-old
daughter, and nine-year-old son. Besides being blessed with a supportive
family, she counts her career as an administrator and registered nurse in
not-for-profit hospitals among her most fulfilling accomplishments.

My Goodreads Book Shelf

Honestly, Emily's story is a hard one to write, but it is one that must be told. Her life is one worth reading about and learning from in spite of the atrocities carried out against her and the people she loves and no matter how gut-wren...

I'm excited to reveal that I've written the first book, Left, in a new series, Still Standing.
Left
is not a book I'd planned to write. It's a story that found me and would not let me go until it was done. In fact, I was near...

Everlasting by Alyson Noel.The final book of The Immortals Series is the perfect ending to a series filled with love, hate, romance, passion, regret, and the effects (positive and negative) of karma.
We've known for a while that Ever, ...

Let me start the review of Grave Bound by saying this book is an adult contemporary written for audiences 18+. The genre is solid without even a hint of paranormal, fantasy, or Christian.
There were two reasons for me to make a change ...

If healing a dying person could kill you, would you do it? That is the question Dr. Allison La Crosse must ask herself every time she gives in to her compulsion to save people who are near death. By saving them, she agrees to take on the...

Ella and Micha... could two young people be more messed up yet compliment each other more perfectly? I think not.
Jessica Sorensen has a rare talent when it comes to building sexual tension between characters, and The Secret of Ella an...

If healing a dying person could kill you, would you do it? That is the question Dr. Allison La Crosse must ask herself every time she gives in to her compulsion to save people who are near death. By saving them, she agrees to take on the...

Colleen Houck has done an incredible job of maintaining The Tiger Saga's excitement, adventure, tenderness, and passion with Tiger's Destiny. I've said before that this is one of my all-time favorite series, and with its final book, tha...

The Immortal Rules is one of those books that takes you - first - by surprise and - second - for the ride of your life. It is anything but another vampire book. It's a romance that leaves you wanting more... hoping for more.
Equally am...

I'm embarrassed to say that I purposefully avoided Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) for a long while. I'm not a fan of the whole Cinderella story being told and retold. Mistake. Big mistake. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) is so deep and so uni...

Insurgent is one of those books that messes with your psyche and makes you question every character, their motives, and their actions. Veronica Roth is so talented that those who betray Tris might well have betrayed me because the acts f...

Divergent is one of those stories that pulls you in and never lets you go. Veronica Roth's talent is unquestionable. She begins this story with a scrawny and weak girl and ends with a formidable and powerful woman. This is not easily acc...

Clary, Jace, and Simon are back and better than ever in City of Lost Souls. Sebastian does a great job at replacing Valentine and manipulating Jace...much to Clary's dismay. Clary is as headstrong and committed as she's ever been...muc...

I can say with absolute certainty that Enemies of the Cross is my favorite book of The Warrior Series. Yes, I do like it more than Warriors of the Cross and Guardians of the Cross. Within it, I've ratcheted up the excitement to a point...

Tiger's Voyage is another wonderful book within one of my favorite series to date. Colleen Houck is a phenomenal author who has done a great job writing a story filled with heart-squeezing romance, unbelievably believable fantasy world...

Tiger's Quest (The Tiger Saga #2) had so many parts to it that I literally felt as if I'd read three seperate books once it was over...all equally amazing. I said with Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1) that Colleen Houck had instantanee...

This is an AMAZING... PHENOMENAL... WONDERFUL series, and it has instantly shot to the top of my personal all-time favorite series list. I should mention that I have three series tied for the top spot honors, meaning I could never choos...

Torment is a strong follow-up to Fallen. In it, we are reunited with our favorite characters (Luce, Daniel, and Cameron) and are introduced to several new ones (Miles and Shelby), who are memorable enough for us to long to see - much - ...

WHAT A FINALE!! Really...I'm not sure it could have been any better!
I loved the way E.L. James began Fifty Shades Freed. Instead of walking us through the 'same old, same old'. She moved us ahead and let us relive some of the not ...

As much as I loved Fifty Shades of Grey, this book is where the series hooks you. We begin not only seeing but also becoming angry over every childhood tragedy behind the darkness plaguing Ana's beloved Christian. Believe me, it doesn'...

Fifty Shades of Grey should absolutely positively NOT to be judged by its c...(uh. um.) genre. If you do, you will miss out on one of the best series and the most endearing, interesting, polarizing, and passionate characters I've ever ...

This novella is more about Ash and Puck's relationship than anything. Making it all the more special is the fact that it is told by Puck and his point of view. Summer's Crossing gave us a glimpse into Puck's mind and made him even more...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The Iron Fey Series is a great series. The Iron Knight does not disappoint when it comes to action (especially the action), adventure, and love.
No longer abstract or vague, 'the end of th...

The Iron Fey Series is the kind of series I love, and The Iron Queen is an amazing read. Believe it or not, this series gets better and better with each tender moment...each dangerous adventure...each phenomenal book. I'm sure some par...

My love for this series was sealed with this book. I adored everything about it. The love triangle is so complicated that I can't blame Meghan for falling for two wonderful people. Both guys are completely unique and endearing. Princ...

Let me start off by saying The Iron King is a wonderfully written book, and Julie Kagawa has created a great new world within it. It took me a little longer than usual to really get into it, but that was about me and not the book or the...

My biggest problem with Forever by Maggie Stiefvater is the fact that there's not a fourth book in the series (at least, not yet).
With Shiver and Linger, I enjoyed reading about Grace and Sam...the evolution of their relationship, lov...

Linger is proof that the second book in a series can be better than the first. A fact I never would have believed after finishing Shiver. When I read Maggie Stiefvater's writing, I'm amazed at the way she describes the tiniest things.....

There are many things to keep you interested while you are reading Shiver.
First, you are constantly reminded of the temperature. By the end of the book, you are conditioned to need that 'clue' to help you know if the chapter is goin...

This powerful book should come with a warning: May cause depression
Somehow, Suzanne Collins described Katniss' unbearably bleak situation from the beginning of Mockingjay until the end in such a manner that I began feeling sad myself....

Catching Fire is a phenomenal follow-up to The Hunger Games. Now that it's finished, I feel like I'm suffering from a strange compulsion...one pushing me to read Mockingjay as soon as possible in order to find out what happens to people...

The Hunger Games is one of those timeless books that will stay with you forever. In some ways, it is reminiscent of The Lottery combined with a modern-day reality show similar to Survivor. It's a talented author who can describe starvati...

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) is a fantastic follow-up to the Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1). Of course, I would expect nothing more from Cassandra Clare. What a phenomenal author, writer, and story-teller.
T...

Everything you loved about Warriors of the Cross becomes deeper embedded and more fully developed within each action-packed page, making Guardians of the Cross an exciting continuation.
Moving to the next level, relationships evolve...

I'll be honest...I can't give an real review on this or any of the other Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. What I can tell you is my seven year old son LOVES the books from this series enough to forego Wii, Xbox, baseball practice, and touch ...

I just finished reading (okay...listening to) Destined (House of Night #9) by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast. It reminded me of the time in my life when I was naïve enough to think good always prevails…love was all it took…and anything was pos...

How can such a benign thing as a book of white pages filled with black words – ones that mean nothing when uttered separately – become so powerful? DO NOT GO GENTLE… DO NOT GO GENTLE… DO NOT GO GENTLE. The words resonate in my mind, re...

Silence, a great third book in a series with a long, long future. If you are a fan of Hush, Hush and Crescendo (and let's just face it...Patch), the only disappointment you will experience is the fact that the book ends. I know this be...

Even though Beelzebub Girl & the Ancient Legends Series is brimming with vampires, fallen angels, and demons, Jayde Scott continues to do a great job at creating and MAINTAINING an original story-line that will keep readers coming back a...